Foot-guard for switch-rails.



W. 0. PASSER. FOOT GUARD FOR SWITCH RAILS. APPLICATION FILED NOV.2'9, 1911.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

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WILLIAM C. PASSER, OF ARPIN, WISCONSIN.

FOOT-GUARD FOR SWITCH-RAILS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 29, 1911.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

Serial No. 663,070.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. PASSER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Arpin, in the county of Wood, State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot- Guards for Switch-Rails; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in'the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to switch points and has for an object to equip the switch rail and main rail with interdigitating fingers which when the switch is open form a floor which will positively prevent a person from catching his foot in the switch point.

With the above object in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be made in the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification :-Figure l is a plan view of a switch rail and main rail equipped with my improvements, the parts being shown in the position assumed when the switch is closed. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the parts in Fig. 1 in the position they assume when the switch is open. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 8-3 Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line JP-4c Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts, 10 designates the main rail, and 11 the switch rail. The main rail is provided on the inner side with a plurality of pivotal fingers 12, pivotal connection between the rail and each finger being established through the instrumentality of a pivot pin 13 engaged through the head of the rail and finger. The rail is furthermore provided with a plurality of slots 14 the slots being arranged between the fingers. The switch rail is likewise equipped with a plurality of fingers 15, these fingers being pivotally secured to the rail through the instrumentality of pivot pins 16 passed through the rail head and fingers. The switch rail is furthermore provided with a plurality of slots 17 intermediate the fingers.

The slots in each rail are of sufficient size to loosely receive the fingers of the other rail so that the fingers interdigitate when the switch is open as shown in Fig. 2, all of the fingers swinging to a slight extent on their pivots in order to pass through their respective slots without binding when the switch is being thrown to open position. When the switch is thrown to closed position as shown in Fig. 1, the fingers of both rails engage simply with the tip portions in their respective slots, and while still interdigitating, form a grating or floor which will positively prevent a person from getting his foot wemliged between the switch rail and main rai What is claimed, is:

1. The combination with a main and a switch rail, of fingers pivotally secured to one of said rails and adapted to engage in slots formed in the other of said rails.

2. The combination with a main and a switch rail, both having slots disposed out of alinement relatively to each other, of pivotal interdigitating fingers carried by the rails adapted to engage in said slots and form a floor which bridges the space between both rails.

3. The combination with a main and a switch rail, of a plurality of swinging fingers pivotally connected to the head of one of said rails and adapted to pass through slots formed in the other of said rails, said fingers forming a floor which bridges the space between said rails.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM G. PASSER.

WVitnesses:

THEO. W. BnAzEAU, CASSIE .OANNING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. G. 

